John Malkovich is a pirate now

Having failed to convince Hugh Laurie to come play another guy with an attitude and a bum leg on NBC’s Crossbones, the network has landed another, arguably even bigger casting coup. John Malkovich has been confirmed to join the drama from Luther creator Neil Cross, starring as the pirate Blackbeard, who terrorized the 18th-century high seas with a fearsome mix of witheringly arch sarcasm and unusual articulation. TV Line notes that it’s the first regular U.S. series role for Malkovich—except those years he spent playing the original Becky on Roseanne, obviously.